Elkhorn Classic SR, Baker City, OR
 

Who else is at Elkhorn this weekend? :)

We're a few hours away from the Stage I start and the weather looks great so far.

..next year..

let us know how it goes though!

...last year for me.

Easily the best event I did all year, bar none. Great race, great courses, and a great city. Would have tried to make it this year as the course is ideally suited to my body type. School got too crazy, though. Next year for sure.

Good luck.

I did it last year, awesome race! Very well organized.

I'm doing Cascade in 3 weeks, then plan to do Mt. Hood next year. I think I'll try Elkhorn again in 2 years when I can race in the 40+.

So you're saying I should ride the 40's next year...;)

I want to do Cascade but I just got subpoenaed for a stinkin court case.

Vino- give us updates!!!

Stage I, cat 4/5 Race report:
I'll keep it short because I'm not much of a story teller. The new course was a 76 mile "out and back" to Richland, OR. The first 40 miles out to Richland OR was mostly downhill. We had a headwind the whole way out, which kept speeds down to a pace that I thought was boring (from my position in the middle of the pack ;) ). Turn around in the town of Richland and start to head back up hill. The pace picked up a little going out of town, but nothing crazy.

Three miles out of town there was a neutral feed. It was a hot day, 90 or so, and I definitely needed the water. Unfortunately a group broke away during the feed:mad: and this was the only time during the race when I thought I might get dropped by the lead group. I chased at 90% of max and caught up. Apparently not everyone was so fortunate. During the next 35 miles we experienced mostly "false flats" with a few rolling hills thrown in. Non the less, the lead group got smaller and smaller.

At mile 60 there was a crash right next to me that took out 4 riders...somehow I weaved my way through without going down :eek:

The only semi significant climb of the day came with 10 miles to go. There was a ferocious cross wind that made everyone suffer. There were several small attacks from some guys that looked like climbers...(hmm have to remember them on Sunday's stage). Nobody broke away, but the lead group was down to about 15 riders or so. 200K to go and I had not much to contest in the sprint. Still I think I got 7th or so, and didn't loose more than a few seconds on the GC. All and all, we're off to a good start, but there are 3 more stages to go.

Day Two Report:

Stage 2 ITT: Went well with the new TT unit and helmet. Boy what a difference a real TT bike and helmet makes. 10th place result put me in 7th for the GC.

Stage 3 Crit: Wide open, safe course. No crashes that I saw. Plenty of primes, but I didn’t win any . Most of the pack finished together. No changes in the GC.

Tomorrow is where it happens :fight: . 101 mile road race with four mountain climbs. :eek: Should be interesting.

Bring a bag of hamers to drope.

Good luck with the last stage. Honestly, that climb is pretty miserable after 100 miles. It's steep.

But, at the top last year, they had kegs of a local microbrew. After that kind of effort, 1 cup was enough to put me under. Makes the descent rather interesting.

Sorry to hear that they changed the stage one course. The old one was really nice, though the new one sounds good too.

You go to the spaghetti dinner?

Good luck, make it hurt tomorrow.

sounds like you're doing good.. have fun on the last stage!

Top 10 in GC, great!
I hope the long one went well today.

Stage 4 Report:
 

In a race of climbers, I once again was reminded that I am no climber!

I was feeling good this morning; legs felt okay (at first), I was adequately nourished and recovered. I was surprised to learn that the 3rd place guy didn’t show up this morning. That put me in 6th. No problem right? Just hang with the pack, right?

The first 30 miles were uneventful, except for 3 brave souls that left the front of the pack to go at it on their ow.n First climb of the day; I can’t explain it, but my legs turned to wood. :( I couldn’t make my legs work hard enough to get my heart rate past 75%! The rest of my body felt fine from the legs up! I struggled to maintain contact with the main group, but did anyway. It might be a long day.

Second climb of the day; the pack took this one slowly and I was just fine

Third climb of the day; again, I just couldn’t get my heart rate up to where I needed to be. Legs wouldn’t move! I barely maintained contact with the lead group, which by the top of the climb was down to 35 riders or so.

The next 30 miles felt great. Legs wouldn’t work at 100% , but didn’t need to. The pace was fast and steady. 85 miles into the race, with 15 to go, I decided to try something that I knew wouldn’t work. I sprinted out in front of the pack and tried to go at it alone. I stayed out there for 2-3 miles before the pack caught me. I regrouped with the pack and got ready for the last climb.

Bottom of Dooley Mountain; body felt okay, I wasn’t bonked, I was enjoying the ride. But my legs wouldn’t turn. Pretty much the whole group dropped me in the bottom of the climb. I rode it at my own pace by myself. I actually enjoyed the climb. I didn’t feel like I was working that hard because my legs wouldn’t let me. I’ve never had that feeling before. :o I passed a few people on the way up, and ended up with 31st place on the stage. That squarely dropped me to 20th in the GC. Overall, not a bad finish I guess, but I sure need to figure how to get up hills before next year’s Elkhorn.

Thats all from Baker City. Thanks for reading and thanks for the support.

I'll be there next year.. I'm no climber at this point.. but it will give me a goal.

great job!

Some photos have been posted by Rob Anderson

http://picasaweb.google.com/riznob/2...assicStageRace

Congratulations on a strong finish!

I know that last day of a stage race feeling where you're mostly feeling pretty good, but a couple minutes into any climb your legs feel dead, then it flatens out and you feel good again. Good job staying with the lead group to the base of the climb. As for the solo attack!? :rolleyes: - I've made dumb moves like that many times, but I guess we all only consider them dumb if we get caught. If we stay away then we're brilliant! :D

:) Thanks for the support.

Here's a pic of me in the crit. I was helping my friend Jim (first one on my wheel in the green and white race leader jersey) defend his position by chasing down a break in the crit. He eventually won the GC.

Great race. Congrats. I am so phsyched for the two stage races coming up. Two weeks from now can't come fast enough (might have something to do with being done with classes the day before I start the first SR).

I hate that feeling man. Dead legs and nothing else hurts. It happens to me when I try to go hard at altitude when I'm not acclimated, don't know if that could be a factor. But it's the worst.

Ooo.... it's one of those evil d'Evo kids 5th wheel back in the green suit. Dang Canadian kids.

Showdown!!!!